Feldman has solid showing in loss to A’s after clearing waivers

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If the Astros have a burning desire to move Scott Feldman, Monday’s outing at Minute Maid Park couldn’t hurt their return.

The rotation’s lone veteran went seven fine innings in an 8-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics, hurt most by a cold Astros offense and the pitcher opposite him. Feldman allowed three runs.

FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported Monday that Feldman cleared revocable waivers, while closer Chad Qualls was claimed by an unknown team. Feldman can be traded to any team freely.

“I did see that, but no, I mean, when I’m pitching, I don’t really think about it,” Feldman said. “Obviously, just human nature, you kind of wonder what’s going to happen. Really, when I’m playing I’m just thinking about the guy that I’m facing, and we’ll see what happens.”

Feldman has delivered quality starts in nine of his last 12 outings, and his ERA in his last six starts is 3.70. He’s in the first-year of a backloaded three-year, $30 million deal.

As for Qualls, one of three things has to happen by Wednesday afternoon: the Astros let Qualls go to the team that claimed him (which would never happen), they can work out a trade only with the team that claimed him (unlikely, but you never know) or they can pull him back off waivers and retain him (most likely).

“I chose Houston ’cause it was close to home and I want to help this team win and I feel like I’ve been doing the best I can this year,” Qualls said. “Like I said all year too, I’d like to stay here this year and obviously beyond that and finish my career as an Astro. It’s not in my hands though so I don’t really put too much thought into it.”

Qualls, in the first year of a two-year deal, said the fact that someone was interested in him was “obviously a good thing.”

“I remember back when I was younger, there’d always be trade rumors, and one of my veteran guys would always help me out, Russ Springer,” Qualls said. “He was like, ‘Hey, if you’re being talked about, that means people want you. If people want you, that means you have a job.’

“You always got to try to look at the bright side of everything.”

Players acquired after Aug. 31 are not eligible for playoff rosters.

A’s righty Jeff Samardzija reached double digits in strikeouts for the second time this season and the first time as a member of the A’s, 10 in eight innings. Chris Carter’s home run in the eighth inning with two out accounted for the Astros’ lone runs and briefly cut the lead to 3-2.

A wild Tony Sipp walked all four batters he faced in the ninth inning and all of them scored in a five-run frame for the A’s.

Josh Donaldson, who put the A’s up 1-0 with a double in the third inning, plated two runs with another double in the ninth.

Josh Reddick’s 10th homer of the season, a two-run shot, put the A’s up 3-0 in the fourth.

ODDS AND ENDS

Astros play-by-play man Bill Brown was under the weather on Monday night and was not in the Astros’ television broadcast booth. Larry Dierker filled in as a color commentator, with Alan Ashby handling play-by-play duties. “Thanks so much for all the kind wishes,” Brown wrote on Twitter. “All is good and I’ll be back in a couple of days.” … Astros Spanish radio broadcaster Alex Trevino has been voted into the Houston Media Wall of Honor at Minute Maid Park. He’ll be inducted with a pre-game ceremony Sept. 18 prior to the Astros-Indians game. … The Astros’ announced attendance of 14,094 was Minute Maid Park’s second lowest of the season. There were 14,028 announced on May 13 vs. the Rangers.